Waiting For You
by BLCKMaGeHaDoKN1
Summary: Harry's relationship is nearing an end with constant fights, a bad decision and an even worse situation. What will he choose? Will Ron and Hermione stick by his side? Or do they have their own problems that need to be taken care of?
1. 1: Drinks, Quidditch, Life

**Well this is new for me .. I don't usually write stories like this but i thought I'd give it a try. I'm not fond of the ending but oh well ? tell me what you think.**

**I do not own any characters or ideas within the Harry Potter series. This is only for entertainment purposes.**

* * *

><p>Nervously, she sat at the bar waiting to see if he would really show up. She had not known him for very long, but the moment she first saw him she went weak at the knees and began blabbering like a fool. She could almost hear her idiotic voice stammering back at him <em>"H-hiiii .. I'm... I am... Ahh... ARIA! Yes, duh. And of course I already know who you are... Not to say that it wasn't necessary to introduce yourself! I mean that was really polite of you. Oh, no. What I mean to say is: It'!"<em>. The memory almost caused her to slam her head against the bar. Instead she ordered some Firewhiskey and downed it to rid herself of that embarrassing moment.

Glancing down at her watch, she realized that she was early and should really calm down. It was only 7:55. That didn't stop her from continuously playing with her long brown hair. He commented on it once and she was determined to have it look just right for when he arrived. _"It looks really nice when you have it down. You should do it more often."_ She felt goose bumps on her arms as she recalled his voice. It was the little things he said and did that made her feel like she had a chance.

Despite his reputation, he never let it interfere with his work. Becoming his partner was Aria's happiest moment in her life so far. He had her back and she definitely had his. He was always interested in hearing about her life and listening to her opinions on various subjects, and the way he looked at her with his piercing eyes, she knew he was genuine. Although she always believed relationships should be kept outside of the workplace, she couldn't let him get away. What if they were connected by the red string of fate? She could not allow herself to pass by this opportunity.

Again she looked at her watch. Any minute, if he really wanted to see her as much as she hoped he did, he would walk through the doors. She slowly let out her breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding in. Besides working with him, there was another small problem. He was already taken. She had seen pictures of this girl in his office and assumed to be only his girlfriend. She had once casually asked if he was married, but he simply said he never got around to it. He never talks much about her though, but Aria had noticed that he never seemed to smile until she greeted him in the morning at work. A few times he had told her that he was having a difficult time making a decision. He wouldn't tell her what he was having trouble deciding, but did say that talking to her had cleared up his mind a little. She smiled to herself at the memory.

She looked down at her empty glass, remembering the conversations with him when she felt a tap on her shoulders. She turned and there he was! Her heart skipped several beats. "Harry!" She exclaimed. She couldn't help it. For about 20 minutes she was a nervous wreck wondering if she was wrong and hoping she wasn't and anticipating his, Harry Potter's, arrival.

"I'm sorry I'm late." Harry said apologetically a shy grin on his face. As Aria looked him up and down quickly, she felt he looked extra great today.

"Oh, don't worry! I haven't been here for very long. Just about five minutes or so," she said, deciding he didn't need to know exactly how long she was waiting. She didn't want to scare him off. "What kept you so long?" She asked as he sat next to her and ordered Firewhiskey for both of them.

"Oh, I had an argument with Ginny." He replied, looking down at the bar and not at her.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Aria tried to sound genuine. She was caught in her own dilemma. As happy as she was to hear that he was having relationship problems, she felt that perhaps she was the cause of it. And if anything were to happen this evening between them, she would be the other woman. The cause of hate in many movie plot lines.

"It's all right. I've been thinking about how I really feel about her." Harry said, still not looking at Aria. His voice seemed rather serious. She was afraid that he was about to reject her. They weren't exactly together on a date, but she had tried to make it very clear her feelings about him. This was the moment where he would give her a subtle response to her interest in him.

When he didn't continued she asked, "Well... What did you come up with?" She tried to sound as much of a friend as he could, to keep her voice from shaking.

"It's hard to say. We had been through so much together," Aria knew he was referring to the days when Lord Voldemort had risen to power again. Even though she was living in the States, it still created a time of panic for everyone "but that could be the only reason we are together still."

"What do you mean?"

"W-well... What I mean... That is... It could be that it was one of those situations that when you feel you might die and you just want someone to share your fears and thoughts with before you go."

"I don't think I understand." Aria knew what he was saying. If he would just say it clearly, she could breathe properly.

"Never mind. I don't want to ruin a good time." He finally looked up to her holding up his glass. "Cheers."

"Cheers." They clinked glasses together.

He quickly changed the topic and soon they were both laughing and talking about how different their lives had been. Aria was amazed to hear of everything Harry had done in his years at Hogwarts. Excited that they both shared a passion for Quidditch, but unlike Harry, Aria's school only had Quodpot teams. After explaining the game to him, he still seemed confused.

"It explodes? But why?" Harry asked, a look of puzzlement evident on his face.

"I'm not sure. It's just the way it is. I was never really into it, but there was no other big competition between the classes." She laughed as he shook his head.

More time passed, more stories were told, and more drinks were poured. Aria began to feel the familiar dizzying effects the drinks were having and began to feel warmth in her cheeks. It was only 10 o'clock and the bar was full of other loud customers, singing, laughing, joking, and some arguing. It was crowded to the point where Aria and Harry were sitting quite close to each other. It was so loud that they had to put their heads close together to be able to talk.

As she was talking about her last year at her school she had to keep herself from directly looking into those green eyes of his. If she even took a quick glimpse of them, she wouldn't be able to properly focus on what she was saying. "As if that wasn't bad enough, Melissa had put some sort of sticky solution all over my bed sheets! I was trapped and couldn't get out of my bed! I looked like I was in a giant cocoon! It was nearly thirty minutes before-"

She was interrupted by his hand pulling her chin to so she would be looking at him. She gazed into his eyes and was transfixed. She couldn't help herself. She practically threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and finally kissing the lips she had longed for since she first met him. His body seemed to stiffen when she did it. She felt it and quickly pulled herself away, blushing. _How could I be so stupid! _

He looked at her and took her hand and led her out the bar. Aria was confused with his actions but followed along. He was silent for a moment as they supported one another's drunken steps. Aria wanted to say something, to apologize, but it wouldn't have meant anything. She was embarrassed but she wasn't sorry of what he had done. "Aria I-" Harry began.

"No! It was me! I wasn't sure of how you felt about me and I decided to just... Well.. Go for it, I guess." He was still holding onto her hand since her footsteps were shaky. She pulled away from him. Her heart was aching and she wanted to get away from him. It was a cold night and all she had on was a short black dress. Not too casual or fancy. She had wanted to look her best. Now she just felt like she looked like a fool. She wrapped her arms across herself and stepped away from him. She wanted to cry, but she held them back and gave him a cheerful smile. "I should get going..." She turned and walked away and before she knew it, he grabbed her arm and pulled him close to her. She gasped as he kissed her back. "I don't understand."

Harry smiled, "It's okay." was all he said.

He spun, holding her close to him and they Apparated to the entrance of a building. She didn't question instead they were inside the apartment, getting as much as they could of the other as possible. She felt his lips kissing every inch of her he could get at as she moaned in longing. He lifted her up and against a wall, as she wrapped her legs around him. She wanted more from him, but she dared not voice her opinion. He held her up and led her slowly to another room and onto a bed, tearing off clothing along the way. Heavy breathing. Moans of pleasure escaped her lips as he teased her with a brush of his fingers. Her dress was pulled up over her waist as she allowed him to take control of her. Her legs shook with each thrust and she felt her whole body feel warm and her skin began to tingle. He never took his eyes off her and she felt like a slave to those eyes. She was reaching her peak, even though she tried to last as long as she could. His touch was enough to send her to this state and to be like this was too much for her body to handle. She climaxed, unaware of Harry's reaction as she dug her nails into his back to show how much she was enjoying herself.

They laid there for some moments, the ecstasy of her orgasm kept Aria from trusting her legs to be able to stand. She didn't know what to say. He sat up, looking out the window, facing away from her. She felt guilty about what they had just done, however, it was clear to her that his relationship with Ginny had either ended or was on the brink of finishing. He sighed and began to get dressed again. "Aria. I think this was a mistake."


	2. 2: Ginny and Thoughts: Harry's Decision

**So because it seemed wrong of me to just leave it at that, I decided to continue with this particular storyline. I guess I'm just lousy at one shot deals? So this actually is the first chapter but only in Harry's perspective and his thoughts on everything. It takes two to tango (ooh ! alliteration !) so it's reasoning as to why he did whatever he did. I do not condone cheating, but it makes for great drama. If all goes well, I'll have a third chapter up soon. I'm guessing on just switching between each character's view .. Idk bc that seems like a book I've read once (10 pts for knowing it!) but it's a fanfic and I suppose I'm allowed. Not like it's the same storyline though.  
><strong>

**Once again: I do not own any characters or ideas within the Harry Potter series. This is only for entertainment purpose**

* * *

><p>"What do you mean you're going out tonight?" Ginny asked, a look of utter disappointment showing on her face.<p>

"I mean I'm going out to meet a friend from work." Harry replied, already tired of the conversation and Ginny's unjustified reaction.

"Oh really? Who are you meeting?"

"My partner, Aria."

"That slut?"

"Ginny you're being ridiculous," Harry sighed, "She has no interest in me whatsoever. She knows I'm in a relationship with you." Harry, noticing Ginny was not convinced added, "She said she wanted me to meet her new boyfriend. I think he works in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. I forgot his name." Harry ended lamely. That seemed to pacify Ginny though.

As they kissed goodbye, Harry couldn't help but notice that it was dull and he felt indifferent to it. He pushed that thought aside. The pressing matter in his conscience was this whole meeting. He lied to Ginny. Aria is a friend and he is meeting her, but he didn't tell Ginny they were meeting at a bar that was quite far from where Harry lived with Ginny and was a place he was sure no one he knew personally to be there. Also, there was no "new boyfriend" that Aria was introducing him to. He figured if Ginny knew that if Aria was in a relationship and that her new boyfriend would be there, she wouldn't complain so much to him whenever he arrived home.

As to why Harry felt he needed to lie to Ginny was a different issue. He didn't have any idea what exactly was going to happen when he arrived there. What Harry's intentions were was unknown to himself. Aria was attractive enough but he wasn't sure how he felt about her. There were moments that he had forgotten about Ginny when he was around Aria and, although he had not known her for very long, it was a comfort that he instantly found himself looking forward to. He no longer wanted to deal with Ginny's constant nagging. At first, it was somewhat understandable. The whole "The Chosen One" had an impact on people's view on Harry, mainly girls, and after Voldemort's fall, he was constantly bombarded with letters asking him to date them, marry them, and, in a very weird instance of it coming from a man in New Zealand, asking him to make babies with them. That particular letter was immediately burned with a quick flick of his wand.

He couldn't ask for his friends for any advice either. After he, Ron, and Neville had helped Kingsley capture the rest of the Death Eaters, they had took their own separate paths. Neville pursuing a career in Herbology and Ron went off to help George in his shop after the death of Fred. Hermione had finished her final year at Hogwarts and was also hired into the Ministry of Magic in the Ministry's Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Though they worked in the same building, Harry rarely ever saw Hermione but could have sworn he had seen her bushy hair running through the place carrying stacks of books of papers with her. Too busy with his own work, he never thought of looking for her.

Granted, he could send an owl to Ron to ask for advice if it wasn't for the fact that he was dating Ron's younger and only sister. Recalling Ron's reaction and accusation of toying with Ginny's feelings, it wouldn't do well to ask if he should stay with Ginny. Hermione, on the other hand, seemed to be a more rational thinking person. However, when it came to the subject of girls, she was angered for Harry's lack of understanding them. Most likely, she would dismiss his feelings and urge him to fix whatever problems he was having.

Harry had chosen not to drive there or to Apparate to the bar. Walking had been a comfort to him once before when Voldemort came to power and his anxieties had made him restless. Now he was walking to help steer his thoughts into clearly understanding what exactly he was thinking. At one time, Ginny seemed to be the whole world to him. She shared, at one time, a connection to Voldemort just like he had for about sixteen years of his life. She fought alongside him in the final battle and remained faithful to him. And even though her feelings for him began because he was famous, she eventually loved him for who he was rather than who he was portrayed as. She was someone Harry could depend on and comfort him. It wasn't until recently his feelings had begun to waver. It had been five years after the battle at Hogwarts and he had finally all the time he wanted to be as close to her as he could. Her red hair, the warmth he felt every time he held her, and just her presence should have made him happier than ever. There was something, though, that held him back. It was too much at times and the more he was around her, the more annoyed he seemed to become.

Unsure of what it was, he began to go out walking. Relieving stress with every step. Eventually, he began walking for longer and longer times and came home later than she would have liked. Soon, she began to accuse him for things he hadn't done. Asking where he was going, if he was meeting some other woman, and if he wasn't cheating why didn't he tell her where he was going and why couldn't she come along? Truthfully, Harry hadn't done anything wrong. He was simply walking to walk. He didn't want to yell at Ginny and tell her he was walking to get away from her. He started to walk more often than before to rid himself of her nagging, sometimes taking his cloak so she wouldn't see him walking away and other times Apparating to a new area to walk freely about. A few times he would cast a few charms to keep himself from being tracked. There was nothing that she had done wrong, but he felt trapped in this relationship.

Aria seemed to be free. Caring but untied down. Someone who seemed to have just appeared before him. He was skeptical when he learned he would be working with her, but her nature seemed to calm him and clear his mind. A feeling he once felt when he was with Ginny. Again he shook his head at the possibilities. Even if there was a chance that Aria had some sort of feelings for him, and he was sure she probably did, he was with Ginny and if he were to do anything it would only be right to be clear of what his relationship with Ginny was. Whether they were together or if they were take time apart.

As if this gave him a conclusion, he Apparated a bit away from the bar and entered in to greet Aria.

Aria I-" Harry began.

"No! It was me! I wasn't sure of how you felt about me and I decided to just... Well.. Go for it, I guess." He was still holding onto her hand since her footsteps were shaky and he was afraid she might hurt herself. She managed to release herself from his grasp and had her arms wrapped around her. She looked as if she might cry but was desperately trying to hold it back.

"I should get going..." She turned and walked away and without even thinking, Harry pulled her back and responded with a kiss. "I don't understand."

"It's okay," Harry smiled at the puzzlement on her face. It stirred a desire in him to want her even more. Maybe it was the amount of Firewhiskey he drank or that he also mixed it with many other drinks and at the moment his mind only thought _If she's going to accuse me of something, I might as well do it_.

He Apparated them to an apartment he owned. In this kind of situation, it almost seemed as if he was planning on cheating all along. For some time, he had considered leaving Ginny and only came here when he was tired of walking but did not want to return to her. His mind was only thinking of how much he wanted her. Clothing torn off, heavy breathing, the touch of her skin against his, he never thought about what was happening. She moaned and he came closer to his climax not taking his eyes off hers. There was something about them that kept him from looking away. He felt her nails digging into him, a sign that this was bliss for her and it gave him the satisfaction knowing he was giving it to her.

As they laid together, the alcohol effects were wearing off. He could hear her breathing gradually becoming steady. His mind aware of her eyes. He sat up, now knowing why he couldn't take his eyes off her. Her eyes gave looked like Ginny's in the way she looked at him. Ginny. The girl he once loved and now cheated on with. How could he ever go back to her? Was this really worth what he had. Ginny was waiting for him. He sighed and began to get dressed again. He was unsure of what he was going to do but he had to leave. "Aria. I think this was a mistake."


	3. 3: Overwhelmed

**Moving on to the next event... **

**Dun dun dunnn ! Dramatic Reverrrrrrrb !  
><strong>

****I do not own any characters or ideas within the Harry Potter series. This is only for entertainment purposes.****

* * *

><p>She felt used, misguided, and like trash. Her head still buzzed with the remainder of the alcohol in her system and with the crushing blow Harry's words had on her. She wanted to say something to him. Anything that would make him change his mind but the words wouldn't come out. <em>Aria. This was a mistake <em>were words that seemed to have glued her tongue to the roof of her mouth. Compressing her lungs, making it hard for her to breathe. Surely he hadn't meant she thought he meant. _Maybe he means that he should've broken up with Ginny before tonight_ as this and similar thoughts were racing through her mind. What just happened between them was just so perfect. It was a sign that they were meant to be together. Even though she nearly convinced herself of this, a nagging doubt was still floating about in her conscious constantly telling her otherwise.

He continued to say nothing more to her and it soon reality set upon her: he didn't have any kind of feelings for her. If anything, this only happened because he was angry with Ginny. They had sex only for Harry to vent his anger that he held for Ginny. Aria's face began to grow how with the anger. "I can't fucking believe you!" She screamed at him before she could control herself, "You fucking asshole!" She grabbed for the only thing she felt could truly show just how angry she was. With a quick flick of her wand, she threw sparks of curses and jinxes at Harry. Blinded with fury was the only thing that kept her from hitting her target. When she got him as far away from her as she could, noticing she hadn't hit him, she grabbed her clothes in a bundle and Apparated straight into her own apartment.

She rushed to her bathroom and became sick, feeling as if the pain and anger she felt suddenly decided to exit her body in a vile manner. She decided to wash him off her. She sat in her shower as the warm water cleansed her of the defilement she felt. She had consented, but now she felt as if she hadn't. _I'm so stupid!_ She screamed in her head, wanting to slam it against the tiled wall. Instead she let the cool touch of the tile calm her thoughts.

Unfortunately, Aria had to attend work the next morning. Having only had roughly a few hours of sleep, she headed for the Ministry of Magic. She tried her best to seem as normal as she possibly could. For a moment it seemed like she could perhaps get through the day until Harry walked in. She had almost completely blocked any thought of him she possibly could have until she was reminded that they had worked together on many cases. She wasn't going to let him see what she was feeling. "Relax, you can get through this," she told herself, "just pretend nothing happened last night and everything will be fine." She managed to a small smile and a silent nod as he entered the office and took the desk that faced hers.

The office was abuzz with many other Aurors running around with stacks of paper and files, some being called away to deal with petty evil wizards. Aria had only recently begun to work in this Ministry. Having had many recommendations from her previous department head, she was transferred from her job in America to this British Branch (as she often preferred to call it). She had received top marks during her training in becoming and Auror that Kingsley Shacklebolt had partnered her with Harry. For the few months she had been there, they were able to track down a few of the most dangerous wizards that came after He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's fall and destruction. From the stories Harry had told her, the wizards they caught weren't as terrible as You-Know-Who and his Death Eater Followers.

She enjoyed working here, despite her predicament. The office was larger than where she used to work and she thought they were truer to their wizard roots than back in the States. There, they were focused on using Muggle technology such as computers, the internet, cell phones, intercoms, email, and other useless items. As handy as they were to Muggles and as useful as they were outside of work, they were too unreliable and they were perfectly capable of doing everything that technology could do with their own magic. The only thing she began to miss was typing up reports on a computer. They still used parchment and quills here, and although they could enchant their quills to do the writing for them, they often began to make mistakes and errors that were easier to avoid if she just wrote them herself. After she rolled up her first 10 foot report, she asked why they hadn't used computers. She hadn't expected their confused looks.

Each Auror had their own station with their partner. Aria had always compared it to being like one of those police shows she had watched that were so popular among Muggles. It amused her when she saw all the effort they had to put into solving a crime. As close as her desk was to Harry, she successfully managed to keep her eyes averted from him. When she had to respond to him, her answers were one worded and she didn't say anything more to him than she needed. The comfort she once felt around him shattered and separated by the awkward air around them. At moments, while looking through files, she heard him take an intake of breath that sounded like he was about to say something to her. She held her breath waiting, but he always exhaled it and went on with his business.

_I have to say something to him! Otherwise this will never go away! _She had two voices that seemed to argue inside her. _No, don't say anything. Just request for a change in partner. Why should I have to say anything to him?_

_ I was the dumb one! I knew he was still in a relationship!_

_ Then again, he never stopped me... It's all his fault!_

_ But I should've known better. I should've seen this coming. It's all my fault..._

"...the report for case 13308280EWM?" Harry's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Huh? What?" She shook her head, trying to clear the conflicting voices.

"Do you have the report for the case?" Harry asked again.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Which case?"

"13308280EWM."

"Oh, yes. Sorry. It's right here." She grabbed the roll he was asking for, wanting to kick herself for getting distracted from her work. She couldn't let him distract her. She briefly glanced at his face, to see any signs of what he was thinking. His eyes met hers and she couldn't look away. There was nothing in her face that said was he was feeling, but his green eyes held her gaze and she couldn't look away. _Why does he have to look at me like that?_ she pleaded in her mind. She tore her gaze away and gave a quiet excuse as to why she had leave that moment. "I'm hungry. I'm going to grab some food." she mumbled. Only remembering for a brief moment how she was often accompanied by Harry.

She headed out of the crowded office and headed down to the cafeteria. She didn't really feel hungry, but her stomach growled to prove it was empty and she figured food might help the pain she felt in her head. She grabbed a sandwich and some water and sat alone, not wanting to talk to anyone. Not that there were many people in there at the time. She looked around the table and watched colleagues laughing and arguing with one another. She missed the times she shared like that with Harry. She felt the table shake a bit and looked across from her and saw someone with quite a frazzled look on her face and very bushy hair. Her hair seemed to enhance the way she was feeling.

"Um, hi?" She wondered why this random person had chosen to sit here when there were plenty of other tables that were empty.

"Sorry! I hadn't noticed you were there. I was reading this book," she lifted her book to show her the cover'Magical Creature Rights: 1000 Cases of Creatures That Were Treated Unfairly and How the Ministry Overlooked This Wrongdoings' " and I thought this was an empty table. I'm Hermione by the way. You wouldn't believe how interesting this book is. There aren't many copies of this and I was so lucky to come by it. I think it'll really help with my work." This person who called herself Hermione seemed to say that all in one breath.

Unsure how to respond, Aria nodded and introduced herself. "It's fine. It's not a big deal."

Hermione seemed to give her a look that seemed to analyze her. "Are you alright? You seem really upset."

"Oh, is it that noticeable?" Aria had hoped she kept her feelings hidden.

"Kind of."

"Ugh! It's this guy!"

"When is it never their fault?"

"I know, right?"

"Want to talk about it?"

Aria wasn't sure who this person was. She gave this Hermione a long look and decided that it wouldn't hurt to tell her what happened. Afraid that interoffice relationships might be frowned upon, she omitted Harry's name. "See, there's this guy I went to meet at a bar and I thought we hit it off really well...


	4. 4: Harry's Contemplation: Lie to Focus

**Quite boring I will admit, but it had to switch views. Harry has waaaaaay too much on his mind with this mess he's created. Shame.. He tries but fails to make sense. Poor Ginny, even though I don't really care much for her.. I swear next chapter will really move forward. I might make it the last so expect rapid change in perspectives. I wanna resolve this whole conflict but idk how I wanna end it. Problems problems problems.. Or else I can make this even longer and even bring back a familiar, lovable ginger (Ron ^_^) .. If it's needed, more drama can be added, would be nice to know what you all think tho..**

****And because: I do not own any characters or ideas within the Harry Potter series. This is only for entertainment purpose****

* * *

><p>Harry continued to keep facing away from her. He had realized the mistake he had made with his words after they left his mouth. He hadn't been honest with her, led her on to do this and he was certain he sounded like someone who has maybe done this before. He had never cheated on Ginny in all the time he had been with her, but her constant accusations had pushed him to do so. But that was no excuse. Even if alcohol had been involved, it didn't mean he had no control over his actions. At that moment, it was clear to him that all he wanted was Aria. The mistake had been that he never finished ties or was honest with either of them.<p>

He turned and was about to apologize to Aria and explain himself when he heard her scream "I can't fucking believe you! You fucking asshole!" and before he was able to control the situation, he found himself dodging random sparks and spells, though none of them seem to be anywhere close to hitting him. He left the room and then heard a loud _crack!_ as she Apparated away. He slumped down along a wall, relieved that she had missed him but angry that he had taken so long to explain himself. Angry that he let her get away. He grabbed his shoes and left the apartment to escape the guilt that hung in the air.

The night air didn't clear his mind as usual. He could see the sky show the first signs of the sun about to rise. He debated whether he should return to the place he shared with Ginny or if he should return to his secluded apartment. Weighing the choices, he really just wanted to avoid going either place, but he knew Ginny would be worried if he never came home at all before he had work that day. He Apparated a block away from where he and Ginny lived and walked the rest of the way.

He opened the door as silently as he could, vaguely aware that it wasn't a guarantee that Ginny would be asleep. Either way, he didn't see her on his way to the bathroom to wash of Aria's scent of apple that seemed to have stayed on him. The shower seemed to have cleanse his body in more than just a physical way, washing away any guilt he had.

At moments, it seemed very clear to Harry as to what he wanted to do. He wanted to cut the ties he had with Ginny. Being with her caused to remember all the ordeals he had faced within his life and the loss of many loved ones. It was almost a constant reminder. With Aria, it was a new beginning, a fresh start. They worked together to capture new evil wizards, but they paled in comparison to Voldemort. However, to completely cut ties would be to remove himself from the lives of Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, two people he would never wish he hadn't met. That kind of though became the moments where his decision became blurred.

Harry opened the door to the surprise of Ginny standing in front. "Morning Ginny," Harry greeted, trying to keep suspicion away from him.

"Where have you been all night? I've been awake in bed for hours and the first thing you do is take a shower... What were you washing off Harry?" Ginny eyed him, looking for anything that she could spot wrong.

It was then that Harry became aware of the possible scratch marks on his back, thankful that he had some clothes on. "What's wrong with taking a shower?" Harry asked, tired already of the impending argument.

"You haven't been home and you took a shower as soon as you got here. Do I really need to explain myself?"

"We went back to Aria's boyfriend's place and had a few drinks there. I was tired and fell asleep on the couch. The air broke, I got sweaty, and came here to take a shower before having to go to work." He replied in a tone that he hoped sounded innocent. "Now, unless you have something else to say, I have to go." Ginny glared away from him, told him goodbye, and gave him a peck on the cheek.

As he arrived at the Ministry, he seemed to go into an automatic state of being. Walking through the familiar entrance and through the busy crowds toward the elevators turned his mind away from personal matters and focused on work. It didn't matter what the state of his relationship with Ginny, he had to focus on being alert and dismiss any kind of distractions. That state of mind almost became permanent until he reached his department office.

He forgot. He won't be able to avoid her. They were partners and any kind of request of change will need to be explained and he was sure interdepartmental relationships were frowned upon. It would risk both their jobs. Taking in a deep breath, he let it out slowly and tried to revert his mind back to its original state.

"Morning Aria." He said as casually as he could.

"Morning." she replied, dull and lacking her usual cheerfulness.

"How has your day been?"

"Fine."

"Anything interesting happen to you lately? Any news?" Harry almost wanted to kick himself.

"No." She seemed distant and unaware of the conversation they were having. Or rather: not having.

He looked around, nervous that his colleagues were staring at this odd behavior. No one seemed to notice or even care, bustling about with their own work and running in and out of the department. It was a reminder that Harry had his own work to do. The current department head was about to retire from his position and Kingsley had told Harry, off the record, that he was in line for the job. Harry had been looking forward for this kind of opportunity his whole career here as an Auror. Diversion from his goal would not be tolerated. He put any feeling aside and began to file all cases properly and check that his paperwork was done correctly. This job relied on all of that.

" Do you have the report for case 13308280EWM?" Harry asked Aria, focused only on his work.

"Huh? What?" She shook her head, looking as if she was somewhere else. A look of confusion flickered across her face. He must have interrupted her thoughts.

"Do you have the report for the case?" Harry asked again.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Which case?"

"13308280EWM." A particular nasty case. A wizard who tried to convince others that he was the new body for Lord Voldemort. Proclaiming that he will finish the work that was promised and began to attack people with pillows enchanted to bite the heads of others. Since they were pillows, no one was significantly injured except for a witch which only happened because she became frantic and ran into a wall. Later, they discovered that he had been under a spell that had gone wrong and addled his brain. He currently resides under continuous watch in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. The Healers expect him to recover in another few years.

"Oh, yes. Sorry. It's right here." She grabbed the roll he was asking for, a look of contempt on her face. Harry figured that was for him, but he shrugged it away. There was no time for personal matters. He heard her mumble something about food. Harry continued with his work.

After some time, he noticed Aria still hadn't returned. He checked his watch and then heard the unmistakable sound of hunger. He added the last bit of details and headed to the cafeteria. He grabbed whatever food was available and gave a quick glance around the room. He noticed Aria at a table and decided he should say something to her at the least. As he approached he became conscious of the person she was chatting to in a heated manner. A bushy haired girl he knew very well. One of his best friends, Hermione Granger, and he had the feeling the topic concerned him.


	5. 5: Something Isn't Right

**I know I said I was going to conclude this soon, and then I thought, why just focus on the three ? It's no fun unless you expand and bring in more drama. As for this chapter, I suppose you could say the drama is limited but it is introduced and will be brought out more in the next chapter. Can you guess from whoooo ? Well probably .. **

**I really would like those of you who are reading this story to review and give me some sort of feedback, positive or negative (although I prefer the positive end of the spectrum). Just let me know what you'd like to see, what you don't like, what you think of the story so far, or if you have questions that deal with the plot so far (I'm not going to give away spoilers). **

**Anyway: **I do not own any characters or ideas within the Harry Potter series. This is only for entertainment purposes.****

* * *

><p>Hermione looked up to see her good friend Harry Potter only a few feet away from the table she was sitting at with this Aria girl. Hermione, though concerned with the feelings of this poor girl, she had her mind on the current issues she was dealing with. But she couldn't just leave Aria. She had been talking about a guy who had lead her on. From what Hermione could figure out in between Aria's outburst of rants, this guy was in a relationship but led Aria to believe that he was no longer in it, they spent the night together and afterwards he told her that he had no interest in her.<p>

She motioned to Harry to sit with them, unaware of the cold look Aria was giving him. "Harry! It's so good to see you!" She stood up to hug him as he came closer and both sat down together. "Harry, this is Aria. She was just telling me this dreadful story. She, er... she hasn't been feeling too great. Could you stay here with her and make sure she's okay?" She turned to Aria, "I'm really sorry, but I must leave." She began to stand, "But this is Harry Potter. He's really very nice and I'm sure he'll look after you." She stood next to Harry, "I forgot to tell you. Ron finally has some free time. He's been so busy with work with George that I almost forget we both work in London! He's been going back and forth to different places gathering research for George. We're going to have dinner this Saturday, I'll send an owl to Ginny and give her the details. I need to go now. Bye Harry, and goodbye to you Aria." With that she waved goodbye and left them.

Hermione Granger was the only one that finished her final year at Hogwarts. Ron and Harry had gone off with Kingsley to capture remaining Death Eaters. For weeks she had helped with the restoration of her beloved school. During the summer break, she had traveled to Australia in search of her parents, determined to bring them back and live the last summer before going back to Hogwarts with them as she should have. She travelled around Australia her first week there, making sure that there was no threat around. Finally, after two weeks there, she had located them, restored their memories, and travelled home with them the Muggle way. They moved back into their home and after the last bit of summer was spent, Hermione rode on the scarlet train from Platform 9 3/4 to Hogwarts.

After she had finished her year, finally taking the N.E.W.T.s exam, she worked on restarting her S.P.E.W. campaign. A position in the Ministry's Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures had allowed her to accomplish such tasks. She was getting closer and closer to establishing rights for house-elves, the majority of what was holding her back was the elves' refusal to want any rights, though some have begun to join her side. As she was rushing back to her own department's level, she had bumped in to Dimitri, her trusted assistant.

He was almost as new as Hermione was to the Ministry, yet worked under her because of the result of the higher N.E.W.T. scores she had received. Still, he was not bitter about his position and seemed to enjoy doing the work she had set out for him. In fact, she valued his help as he was the one who had persuaded the few house-elves the want to recognize they deserved rights. He had the charisma and wit to achieve such tasks. He had even convinced much of the magical community to support Hermione's movement, though it did help that many of the convinced witches had agreed because he was very handsome.

He stood at about the same height as Ron, but was the complete opposite in appearance. While Ron was tall, thin, with red hair and freckles, Dimitri had defined muscles, black hair that just reached his neck, styled to look as if it was messy, but clean and wore rectangle glasses. Hermione observed that he was very attractive and any girl would fall for him on looks alone. He, like herself, had come from a long line of Muggle-borns with only one other wizard in the family line "My great-great-great grandfather I think. I'm not sure, he is old though." he told her during that conversation, "He fell for his wife who was a Muggle. He was going to tell her if their son turned out to be a wizard, but he wasn't and from then the rest of the family had married other Muggles and had Muggle children. Except for me, can't tell you how happy Grandpa Hubert was. I had wanted to study at Hogwarts, but he had insisted I went to Durmstrang."

Dimitri was very kind to her and had even asked her out on a date after two weeks of working together at the Ministry. Hermione politely declined, explaining the current relationship she shared with Ronald. He seemed confused of how they were so close, yet so rarely saw one another, but he was a gentleman about it, never mentioning it again.

As she bumped into him, several papers were scattered, hers and his, though luckily a quick flick of their wands had sorted and sent them back to the proper person. "Oh, sorry Dimitri!" Hermione said, flustered that her excitement for seeing Ron after several months had passed since the last time "I don't know what I was thinking." She gave a nervous laugh.

"It was my mistake, I should have known better than to walk without looking when you're out an about." Dimitri joked, readjusting his frames. They began to walk back together to their department, discussing tactics, legal issues, current status and future plans.

As Hermione sat in the apartment she shared with Ron when he wasn't away, she couldn't help but feel strange about his absence. It wasn't the first time Ron had been away for an extended amount of time, but it felt different than the other times. Before, she had received an owl practically every day from Ron, telling her about the places he was at, where he was going, and what new items George had been inventing. His handwriting even improved as he was more careful in making sure she was able to read his letters. Recently, she was lucky to get a letter once a week. Even then, they were shorter filled with little detail. _Although, he did say he was going to travel more than he had before_, she thought to herself recalling the long list of places he had told her before he left. _If anything, he's probably too exhausted to write,_ she concluded. And anyway, owls deserve breaks from long distances of flight.

He could have Apparated to her, as he had suggested many times the first time he went traveling but Hermione insisted against it. She warned him constantly of the dangers of such long distant Apparations and told him quite clearly that even the most experienced of witches and wizards do not even attempt it. That year they had gone searching for Horcruxes, Ron was splinched, an event that Hermione blames on herself. She was not about to allow Ron to run the risk of it happening again, no matter how much she missed him. Besides, she found a sort of romance in keeping the long distance feel. Each time Ron came back, it was if they hadn't seen each other in years and they were glad of the release they felt of pent up energy. It was ecstasy to Hermione and she yearning for some more of it.

She once again thought how strange it was that Ron hadn't been sending letters as often as he once did. As rational as she could be, it still felt uncomfortable. She decided to give Ginny a call, grateful that she and Harry had convinced these two siblings to allow some Muggle inventions. She smiled at the brief memory of Ron who was so surprised and delighted in the idea of a television and her secret decision to not allow him to discover video games. After several rings, Ginny answered "Hello."

"Hi Ginny." Hermione greeted. "I'm sorry for the sudden call, I was wondering if you had heard from Ron lately." She figured he might be sending letters to family members.

"Oh, I don't think so. He might've sent an owl or two to Harry. I would ask him but he went out for a walk. I have no idea where." her voiced sounded close to the verge of tears.

"Is everything all right Ginny?" Hermione noticed the trend of unhappy girls today.

"Huh?" Ginny sniffed, "I'm okay. Harry just seem so distant... I'm not really sure what I've done wrong. I thought that since we were together now, everything would be fine... But it's not." Hermione had never thought of asking Harry how things were going. They didn't see much of each other, but he always seemed happy at work. There was something that didn't seem right and Hermione couldn't put her finger on it.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Hermione asked, hoping to put her friend at ease.

"No. I'm fine. I'll take care of it. Look, I gotta go." And with that Ginny hung up the phone. Hermione, worried about the state of her friends' relationship, came to the decision to figure out what was going on. Tomorrow, she concluded, she was going to confront Harry and solve everything.


	6. 6: What Were They Thinking?

**So this had taken me awhile to write, but it was because I had so much going on and I between exams and papers I had no time to also write the next part for this fanfic. **

**Hopefully, this is worth the wait because I've bin putting more drama back in (at least what _I_ feel is drama) and less explanation and such. Some questions may be answered, new ones will arise and .. the end ! Shall not be revealed at this moment. Sorry folks ! I got a lot of ideas and ways this could end, so patient you must be.**

****Before we begin I must stress: **I do not own any characters or ideas within the Harry Potter series. This is only for entertainment purposes.******

* * *

><p>Saturday seemed to sneak up quickly than anyone could have imagined. It seemed as if the past few days leading up to Saturday night had been nothing more than a blur. Unlike usual Saturdays, this one had the air of despair hanging above. There was no shown expression of the unhappiness everyone felt, but the feeling hung like a thick fog among them. Anger, disappointment, and uncertainty was present within their hearts, yet none of them would admit it. Their happiness crushed by the lies they told and the betrayal they didn't want to believe. The joy they once felt around their loved one was laced with suspicion and distrust. Still, no one had done anything to change it. Not a step taking, emotions ignored and stored at the back of their minds.<p>

Harry and Ginny were still together. Harry had, for the first time in weeks, stayed home with Ginny. Even when the pressure and stress was beginning to wear him down, he had not gone out for his usual walk. An activity he once enjoyed doing, he now felt the guilt bearing down upon him, making him feel as if he was being weighed down. Ginny, unaware of Harry's emotions, perhaps on purpose or just in oblivious denial, had become increasingly happy. She often commented on how much it meant to her that he remained with her. "Oh Harry," she often said, "I love that you're here and not on one of those silly walks. Hey! I have an idea!" which was followed by an idea that she "read in a Muggle magazine that said it was ideal to 'Creating the Perfect Relationship: 101 Things to do with your beau and how it helps construct the perfect love'."

Harry, normally despised these kinds of things, but had gone along with whatever Ginny wanted to do. He thought if he changed the way he was, maybe he would never had to tell her what happened. If he could make everything better than it ever was and convince her how much she meant to him, that act of guilt could be forgotten. Just a mistake that he didn't intend to repeat. An act of unfaithfulness erased as if it had never happened. If he pretended enough, it could be true. As hard as he tried, the looming sense of betrayal stood around him and he wasn't sure if this was what he wanted.

He still thought about Aria. No matter how much he tried to forget that night, it constantly replayed itself within his mind. The sounds of her breathing and speaking his name were ringing in his ear, the touch of her skin against his, and the warmth he had once felt with her. He tried to replace those sensations and fill them with Ginny, but he always felt he was comparing them and Ginny was not winning the favor of his mind. Still, it was something he couldn't go back to.

At work, the mood between them had switched. Rather than anger and guilt being present, there was a sense of friendliness between them. Aria had been the first to make the effort and Harry followed along. They spoke kindly to one another, but avoided all conversation that was personal. It focused entirely on work and Quidditch. It was a strained kindness, but all the same, it was done to avoid talk and rumors within the workplace. Whether interdepartmental relations were frowned upon or not, it was something neither of them wanted to find out. So they smiled and laughed. They ate lunch together and said their goodbyes when it was time to part. As soon as she Apparated to her apartment, the fake happiness was torn away leaving Aria to feel the shame once more.

She was disgusted with herself. She was living a lie and didn't want to deal with it anymore. Furthermore, she couldn't keep hating Harry. Despite how he had treated her, calling her a mistake and throwing her aside, she didn't hate him. The love she felt for him made her hate herself even more. She couldn't let him go and it tore her up. She begun acting kindly to him in hopes of changing the love into a friendship once more. Despite her efforts, it pained her and her mind became muddled and confused. She knew it was stupid to feel this way and yet no other solution to solve this problem had occurred to her. Well, there was one but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Yet, if she didn't, perhaps this feeling would never fade away and eventually break her.

She thought about it and decided to give it a try. She grabbed some paper and a pen, and scribbled a quick note:

_I know you asked me this ages ago, but I decided to take you up on your offer. I'm free whenever so let me know when you would like to go out for dinner._

_ Sincerely,_

_ Aria_

She looked through the note, deciding whether or not it sounded desperate and headed towards to her owl Artemis. A beautiful snowy owl she received when she turned 15, he was always there to listen and comfort her. She folded the paper, wrote his name on the outside, tied it to Artemis and off he went to send her letter.

That night, Hermione waited for Ron outside his favorite restaurant with Harry and Ginny. An uncomfortable feeling was present around the three of them, but they all decided to ignore it. They were waiting at Ron's favorite restaurant for 10 minutes when Ron decided to show up. He, however, didn't arrive alone. He was accompanied by a pretty blonde, thin, with a slight tan. She was giggling and chatting arm-in-arm with Ron. It wasn't until he spotted them that Ron freed himself from her grasp. He approached them, giving his sister a hug, patting Harry on the back and giving Hermione the quickest of pecks on the lips. "Let's eat, shall we?" Ron said to them.

A cough was heard from the blonde girl as she stood behind him, tapping her foot impatiently. "Oh!" Ron said, seeming to remember she was there too, "This is my assistant Camila." Ron introduced her as she shook everyone's hand. Hermione, hoping that her face looked completely normal, was shocked by Ron's audacity. Nevertheless, she didn't want to jump to conclusions and shook hands with her as well.

"Assistant? Since when have you had an assistant?" Hermione tried to ask as casually as possible.

"Oh, well she's new and it happened after I left. George hired her to help with the testing and such." she giggled, and in Hermione's opinion, it sounded like a hyena laughing.

Unsure how to respond, Hermione didn't ask any other questions. They were seated, received their menus and put in their drink orders. Hermione ordered a wine. She rarely drank, but she felt she would need it for this occasion, unsure of what was going on in Ron's thick head. She could feel Ginny's eyes glancing at her every so often and was upset by Harry's lack of sensitivity as he asked what Camila did for Ron. At those words, thoughts rushed through Hermione's mind of the possibilities of answers to that question. Quickly, she shook the thoughts from her mind, yet they seemed to resurface constantly.

Unable to calm down, she quickly excused herself and dragged Ginny with her towards the restrooms to think. As they entered the lavish restroom, they sat themselves on one of the couches that seem to be present in large, fancy restaurant bathrooms. Hermione was hyperventilating as Ginny tried to give words of reassurance to her.

"Who is she and why is she here?" Hermione exclaimed. Her cheeks growing flushed, her hair looked as if it was becoming even curlier than before. "We were supposed to have a romantic evening! And then he brings that... that... !" She let out a scream, incapable of finding the correct word to completely describe her feelings.

"Hermione, you're being completely irrational. You don't know what the situation between them is. It could be that she's here in an area she's unfamiliar with and Ron invited her to come along because he felt sorry for her and he wanted to do something kind." Hermione let out a sound that made it clear she didn't believe it. "Well he could of! I mean he isn't one that's capable of reasonable thought. He can be stupid, like all men are, and he invited her without really thinking!"

"That, or he's been cheating on me with her these past few months and quite thoughtlessly decided to parade around with her!" Hermione wailed out, finally allowing those suspicions to take control of her thoughts and her judgment.

Meanwhile, Harry, Ron and Camila sat waiting at the table. The waitress had left them again when they told her they hadn't decided on what to order. There was an air of awkwardness hovering over them. They didn't say anything to one another, their own thoughts whirling around their minds. Harry glanced around the restaurant, looking at the other couples. It was the kind of place that was meant for romantic occasions. Dimly lit lights, soft mood music, and candles at every table. Sophistication, romance, and luxury is what this restaurant was going for. _Bet the food is expensive_, Harry thought. Money was never an issue for him, but he wasn't sure where Ron stood financially, imagining Hermione might have to pay, which could end up in an interesting scene.

Scanning around the room, he noticed a couple not too far away from where they were sitting. This particular couple caught his eye as he noticed his old nemesis: Draco Malfoy. Malfoy was seated where Harry could see him, yet another couple blocked his date. Harry turned his head to tell Ron when he noticed that Camila and Ron seemed to be sitting closer than before, softly talking and smiling at one another, with Camila giggling every now and then. Harry decided it would be best if he left that alone and dealt with it later.

Turning back, he waited to see if Malfoy's date would turn and show herself. He could almost tell what she looked like, but the couple situated between them kept moving around and shifting. Harry could tell that she had on a black dress that showed much of her nicely tanned back if it wasn't covered mostly by her long brown hair. He turned away, aware that it might seem as if he was staring, but had a feeling as if he had seen her before but couldn't pin where. He imagined her probably pug-like face like another certain girl Draco had been with in Hogwarts, but he doubted that was her. Because he didn't want to be caught, aware of Ron's actions, he turned back towards Malfoy's table in time to see Aria rising from the table, excusing herself and heading towards to the restrooms.


	7. 7: Letting Go

**I know, it's been quite a while since I had updated this story ! I'm so sorry . ! I was preoccupied with finals for school and when winter break started I realized that I had no idea how to continue. I decided to keep my mind off of this story until I could get a clearer head. Unfortunately, I didn't get around to think about it. And school has started again. But for whatever reason, I find it easier to write now. ****Hopefully, everyone who's been reading my fanfic lately won't be disappointed ! **

**And if you can't tell, I personally don't like Ginny .. ahaha !**

* * *

><p>She wasn't quite sure of the situation. For some time, she had felt an empty emotion coming from the man she had loved for so long. Her heart shuddered from how coldly he treated her, but she couldn't let him go. No. Ginny Weasley wasn't the kind to let go so easily. She knew he tugged at the restraints she placed on him, yet she wasn't going to let anyone else have him. Occasionally he managed to walk away and she argued with herself whether or not she should track him. It wouldn't be so hard, even if he Apparated away, there were plenty of ways she could go after him. She couldn't bring herself to do it though. She already used her magic to keep him with her, trying to keep him tied down, but she was only lying to herself. If he wanted to stay, he would've.<p>

Without her noticing, something changed about him. There was still a bitter cold present when he was around, but he stayed around. He did everything Ginny wanted without complaint. She wasn't sure what happened to him, but she didn't want to know. She was glad he was around her because of his own will. She wanted it to be like that always.

The moment Artemis flew out her window, Aria wasn't sure of what she had done. Torn between her feelings. She had seen Draco a few times at the Ministry and only officially met him when she was walking with Harry. Harry introduced her to Draco when Draco had come down to their department to discuss some important matters. He had gave her a nod of acknowledgement, but his facial expression was hard to read. She remembered looking into his cold gray eyes and wondering what he was thinking. When he left, Harry had told her a bit of how he knew her and even laughed when he revealed that he worked in the Improper Use of Magic Office. She asked him why he found it funny, but the only response he gave was: "If you only knew him in school!"

The day after that meeting, she had received a note from him, asking if she would care to join him for dinner. She would have said yes, but by then she was already falling for Harry, filled with the hope that maybe he would leave the girlfriend he never really talks about. If only she hadn't been so stupid.

She didn't have to wait long for a response from Draco. Informing her that they would go out that evening, she ran a bath and decided to take a long soak. She wanted to clean herself of her shame. She didn't want a single sign of regret to be showing when she had met Draco. As she let the warm water cover her, she tried as hard as she could to rid her mind of thoughts of Harry. Yet it only seemed to drown her in his memory. His arms, the way he held her, when he grabbed hold of her. She felt hot tears roll down her cheeks and decided that she needed a shower instead.

Aria had decided to wear the same dress she wore the night Harry called her a mistake. She figured it would help her to think of a better memory when she looked at it. Draco whisked her away from her place, taking her to one of the nicest restaurants she had ever stepped foot in. Around she saw lovely couples dining and laughing, whispering sweet nothings to each other, sitting in the bliss of one another's company. She took a side glance at Draco. He seemed to hold his head high with pride as he took hold of her arm to lead her along to the table their hostess was showing them.

As he pulled her chair out for her, she felt a kind of tenderness from Draco. As he took his seat across from her, their waiter arrived and Draco ordered some kind of wine for the two of them to share. Aria felt out of her element here. She had never had wine before, and as she wondered whether or not she would like it, she felt classless and out of place. The women here had an air of magnificence around them. She hugged herself as she was reminded of the humiliation she felt because of Harry.

To make matters worse, she saw something that made her feel sick. Behind Draco she saw none other than Harry taking a seat with his Ginny, that Hermione, and some others she didn't recognize. She would've rattled her brain to remember if Harry had ever mentioned his friends but before she could, Draco began talking to her. "What made you decide to take me up on my offer?"

She herself hadn't been sure, nevertheless she lied with, "Well, I had been thinking of you for some time and decided to just go for it."

"What do you keep looking at?" He glanced over his own shoulder.

"Oh!" She didn't realize she was staring over where Harry was. "I thought I saw some old friends from back where I used to live, but I see now that it's not them… Er, would you mind switching seats with me? It's kind of cold in my seat."

"Sure thing." They switched. "It's not very cold here, but you must've been cold because of the lovely dress your wearing." He took hold of her hand and brushed his lips against her skin. She felt the goose bumps forming up her arm from that kiss. She stared once more in his gray eyes. There was something different about them that she hadn't seen at their first formal meeting. At that time, he had a hardened look about him. Now, they were soft and showed a gentleness not present in the rest of his demeanor. And the more they spoke together, the more relaxed she began to feel, her mind slowly forgetting the person sitting behind her.

Ginny was unsure how to help her dear friend Hermione. Hermione was preoccupied with her own problems with Ron that Ginny couldn't confide her own mistakes. She looked over at a larger mirror that was on the opposite wall. She barely recognized herself. She didn't show any kind of look of remorse for what she had done to Harry. She didn't want to admit that their relationship was a lie. She couldn't. She couldn't reveal that in her fifth year at Hogwarts, she slipped him with a carefully made love potion. Just the right amount slipped to him every so often kept him around. Lately, it seemed to be having a negative effect on his mental well-being.

There is always a warning when using any kind of potion on someone and love potions are of no exception. Although she thought that if she managed to create her own formula, she realized that his uneasiness lately had been a side-effect. She began to decrease the amount she gave him each day, she feared that it would lose its over him and that he would leave. Constantly she reminded herself of when he had left school in search of a way to defeat Lord Voldemort. When he returned and they were able to be together, he told her that she was always on his mind wherever he went.

Each time he told her, she gained some confidence that there was some truth to their relationship. That he actually did hold feelings of love and affection for her. But then something in her heart told her it wasn't. He had fooled himself into believing the lie she created and she feared that he will realize the lie.

That he would leave her alone forever. She didn't think she could ever find anyone else that she felt this way about. She continued to stare at her own reflection. All these thoughts ran through her mind and yet her face showed no sign of what she thought or what she was thinking. She looked back at poor Hermione, wondering if anything relationship advice she gave would actually mean anything.

_It's pathetic. Her relationship with Ron. Everything they had been through, and he can be so easily taken away like that?_ She wanted to scoff at Hermione's confusion of why Ron left her. Instead all she could do was give Hermione false words of comfort.


	8. 8: Confrontations

**Sooooo, I'm fully aware that it has been a VERY long time since my last chapter update. For that, I apologize. There were many things keeping me from writing (mostly school) and I couldn't get around to writing more of this, along with everything else I've had to write. Ah, I'm a terrible person! Aside from that, I wasn't sure for awhile of where I was going to go with this fanfic as I never gave it much thought since the first chapter. Originally, as I'm sure I've said, it was supposed to be a one-shot story, but there was so much more I wanted to include that I wrote more. Then I came up to about 4 chapters and I was like... Aaah! Only recently had I re-read my chapters and realized there was a certain character that I mentioned once and completely forgot about. And then it hit me! But in order to get back to that, I had to set it up. Sorry that this chapter didn't really move much! But at least I took it into a direction that I needed it to and I promise to not leave you hanging for what happens next (at least not for too long)! So, here is chapter 8! If you have any criticisms, please feel free to tell me them! Re-posting this after editing. I hadn't realized that some marks were removed! Sorry for any confusion!  
><strong>

****I do not own any characters or ideas within the Harry Potter series. This is only for entertainment purposes.****

* * *

><p>The more Draco spoke to her, the more she wanted to just get away from where they were. It wasn't as if she was having a terrible time. Quite the contrary. She was fascinated whenever he spoke of his time in Hogwarts. Mostly interesting as she only heard about it from Harry's view, but now it was a different account by his opposite. Harry's opposite. Harry. She couldn't shake him from her thoughts. She wondered if she only listened to hear him mention any moments with Harry. Or whether she kept looking into his eyes, trying to find that same charm that Harry seemed to have. She was looking for Harry in him. The more she tried to deny it. the more the truth began to drill itself into her. She still had lingering feelings for Harry, and all she was doing was leading Draco on in hopes that maybe he could be the same as Harry.<p>

"Is there something wrong?" Draco's voice interrupted Aria's guilty thoughts, "I realize I've been talking for a while, but either I'm very boring or something else has been on your mind." He gave a nervous chuckle, suggestion that he was hoping neither reasons were true. She shook her head in response and he gave a sigh of relief. "Ah, well that's good." He looked at her curiously, "Are you sure? I'd hate to think you're not enjoying yourself."

His words struck her. It didn't cause her to immediately forget Harry or have some other major, ridiculous impact on her, but she was able to focus more on Draco himself. He was much different from her first encounter with him. Perhaps it was because at that time, she had no particular interest in him. Aside from his expressionless eyes, there was nothing else that she actually noticed. Had she not met with him when she was with Harry, the meeting would have been forgotten, as she would have deemed it just another fleeting moment with a person that worked in the same office building as hundreds of other wizards and witches. She took note of the slight changes in his expression, trying not to find any similarities but just to figure out more about him. She even managed to partially listen to his stories, going in and out of them, but able to make the proper responses to whatever he talked about.

At times, she noticed his boastfulness and he seemed to have an air of superiority when he described his daily classes and the friends he managed to lord over during his years at Hogwarts. There were several years that he just seemed to skip over though. He seemed to jumped from parts of his fourth year to what he did after he left school. If she remembered correctly, it was around the time when she was at home and watched on the Wizard News Network of a report on the rise of the infamous Lord Voldemort. Although now, working at the Ministry of Magic, she was aware of how dangerous his influence was, at the time, it was a threat that seemed too far away and didn't seem dangerous. Two years later, the threat became more prominent and the US took its own measures to prevent Voldemort's spread of power. Then news of the fight at Hogwarts was announced. Not many details were released, but it was a topic of high interest. Several times, she was tempted to ask Harry, but it never seemed appropriate. She wondered if she could ask Draco, as he too was around when it happened, but as she was about to, it seemed like a topic that she had to avoid with him as well. There was something about him that looked as if it was something he didn't want to talk about.

**.**.. ****... ****... ****... ****... ****... ****... **... ... **

Still the air of awkwardness remained lingering between Harry, Ron and Camila. Harry was quite aware that he could never really distinguish the emotions of others, but even he knew that Ron and Camila were more than coworkers. He realized that he had to say something or else Hermione would never forgive him. He also knew that if he did say something, Ron might get angry for prying in. No matter how he looked at it, someone would be mad at him whether he did anything or not. How he could go about it, he wasn't sure. As luck would have it, Camila excused herself to the restroom and Harry had his chance. As both watched as she walked away, the only thing he could think of saying was, "Well... she's attractive." He was conscious that it probably wasn't the best way to start the subject, but he said it and now all he could do was run with it.

"Yeah, she really is something isn't she? Mind you, Hermione is bloody brilliant and attractive in her own right, but Camila is…" Ron's thoughts seemed to trail away. Harry couldn't help there was something off about his friend. From all the years he knew Ron, he knew that while Ron could be insensitive to even those he cared about, this wasn't something he'd just do so blatantly. Even if he no longer felt anything for Hermione, he wouldn't have kept Hermione hanging and then flaunt some other woman in front of her.

"Don't you think you're being a bit insensitive?" Harry asked cautiously, wondering how Ron would react.

Ron turned his head back from where he was still watching where Camila had left and his expression was unreadable. "I don't know what you mean Harry. Camila and I are nothing more than coworkers." That was a clear lie and Harry knew that now he had to push the truth out of Ron.

"So there absolutely_ nothing_ going on between you two?" Ron's face changed. There was the guilt that Harry knew he was hiding.

"Well, here's the thing: it was hard to say no to her." Ron simply admitted.

"What do you mean?"

"See, she isn't exactly new… Not to say I was with her that entire time. I'm telling the truth when I say that I was faithful to Hermione. Sure Camila made her advances, but I had always said no to her. Then gradually she let off. And then … I'm not sure what happened. I suddenly felt we were so much closer than Hermione and me were, and being away from Hermione made me feel lonely. I don't know what I was thinking. It was just harmless flirting and I didn't think she'd take it seriously. Then one night, I suppose I had one too many. When I woke the next day, I was with her and… It felt right. Sure, I felt guilty about it but…" he looked back in the direction Camila walked away.

Harry sat there watching him. Something definitely wasn't right with him, but he could understand giving into temptations. He quickly glanced at the table Aria and Draco were sitting at. She looked to be enjoying herself and he even heard her laugh in the same way she did around him. A pang of guilt, and knew he had no right to tell Ron what he was doing was wrong. The only difference between what Ron was doing and what Harry had done was the fact that Harry had ended it and never flaunted his affair. He knew he hurt Aria, but he couldn't continue betraying Ginny. There was something that wouldn't let him do such a thing.

****... ****... ****... ****... ****... ****... ****... **... ... **

There was tension the moment Hermione saw that Camila had entered into the restroom. Suddenly aware that she and Ginny had been sitting in the restroom for some time now, and figured now would be a good time to go back and try to have some kind of conversation with Ron about what on earth was going on in his dimwitted mind. Maybe she could make him see what an ass he was being. As she was about to get up and leave, however, Camila had looked back at her through a mirror and obviously laughed at her. Hermione remained where she was seated in order to find what had caused that kind of reaction from her.

"My, haven't you two been in here for a while? Hasn't it been almost an hour or something?" She no longer seemed as ditzy as she previously let on. Hermione refused to respond to such a person, so Camila kept talking. "It's been alright though. Ron and Harry both seemed eager to make me feel welcomed and were willing to entertain me. They had the funniest stories about you two. Ah, they are such fun." She continued to talk to them while still facing the mirror. She began to put on more of her make-up, even though her face and her neck were already two different colors. It didn't take a genius to figure out she was trying to egg them on. And by the way both of them were now glaring at her, she knew she had struck a nerve with both of them. She smiled and continued talking. "I had to excuse myself for a moment, they were just too much, constantly trying to outdo each other with their stories. But you know something?" She paused for dramatic effect, "I'd much prefer Ron over Harry any day. Ron is such a tender lover after all." That did it.

In an instant, Hermione was on her feet, wand out, mirror shattered. It was lucky that it was the moment that the last remaining women had just left. _Lucky or timed_, Ginny thought to herself. She too had gotten up, but Hermione responded faster. Camila was ready for her though. She had anticipated Hermione's attack and had managed to get out of the way with her wand ready in her hand. She struck back at the two of them and caused the couches to explode has it had missed the two of them. Ginny fired back with her own hex that just missed Camila again, but as Camila moved out of the way, Hermione managed to get a shot at her with her own spell. In an instant, Camila was on the ground stunned by Hermione's spell and the door swung open. It was Harry and Ron, who had overheard the ruckus and ran to make sure they were okay.

Each with a wand out, unsure about what to do. Looking at one another, no one wanted to be the first to say anything. Camila stirred and Ron immediately was by her side, checking her over. "RONALD WEASLEY!" Hermione had sparks flying from the end of her wand, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" But before he could answer, her wand had flown out of her hand, along with Ginny's and Camila's and heading towards Harry who was standing in the doorway. He ducked and they landed in Aria's outstretched hand.

"Aria!" Harry exclaimed without thinking. She said nothing to him and instead stepped into the restroom looking at the other girls.

"I heard a commotion and did all I could to keep any unwelcomed people from trying to investigate the noise. Though I guess I didn't get _everyone_." Aria made a quick glance at Harry and Ron. "Now that I have your wands," she gave her own a flick and all three girls were standing with their hands behind their back, held by Aria's magical restraints. "I'm sorry to have to do this, but seeing as how you placed many Muggle lives in danger by fighting and have completely disregarded how your actions could've have damaged the structure of this building with your careless spell casting, I have no other choice but to drop you off at the Ministry."

"Wait Aria, isn't that a bit drastic?" Harry asked, hoping she still wasn't holding a grudge against him.

"No Harry. New protocols, since Voldemort's downfall, dictate that any wizard and/or witch caught using any kind of harmful magic in an area where Muggles are present, must be handed over to the Department of Improper Use of Magic." She didn't look at him. She felt like she couldn't.

"Aria! I see you've found where all that commotion came from." Draco arrived, unaware of the kind of scene he had walked in on. As he began to recognize most of the faces of the others who were there, he straightened up a bit and changed his demeanor. He immediately became authoritative and domineering, an attitude that Harry, Ron and Hermione were all too familiar with. "And I see you found the perpetrators. Well, I suppose I should help you transferring there." She grabbed hold of the three girls, Draco grabbed her hand, and she looked back, almost apologetically at Harry. A slight turn and they were gone.

Harry and Ron remained standing in the restroom, and after a moment, looked back at one another and decided to follow them.


End file.
